Type-writing machine.



C. DE L. RICE.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.25, I915.

Patented. Jan. 16, 1917.

i E i 1 INVENTOFU WE I %M film 7%,.

BY $44M ATTO EY.

CHARLES DE LOS RICE, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER. COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE-"WRITING MACHINE.

Application filed. August 25, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, Cs Dr: Los Bron, a citizen of the United States, residing in Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to carriers for the carbon-sheet holders and paper guides of typewriting machines, which are especially adapted for writing on superposed webs and paper of many plies interleaved with carbon sheets.

The invention is particularly designed for use in connection with a machine such as shown in United States Letters Patent 1,132,055, to Wernery and Smith, dated March 16, 1915; although in certain of its features it is applicable to other machines. The machine of the patent referred to is adapted to be used for writing on continuous webs, each composed of a series of printed forms, and usually folded to have many plies, so that, by the use of interleaved carbon sheets, many copies may be simultaneously made. As the form sections are written they are detached from the web and the web advanced for the writing of the next succeeding section thereof; the carbon sheets being at such times drawn back along the plies of the web from the written to the next unwritten section thereof. To permit of free movement of the web for detachment of a section thereof and for repositioning the web, and carbon sheets, the platen, after each section of the web is written, is shifted bodily to unwrap the web therefrom and to relieve the pressure of the feed rollers thereon.

Tn order that the carbon sheets may be properly held between the plies of the web, and fed with the latter, during" the linespace movement thereof, and may be drawn back at intervals along the web from a written, to the next unwritten section of the web, the carbon sheets at their rear edges are attached to a holder which has linespace movement toward the platen, and which may, when desired, be shifted back from the platen. This holder has also letter-feed, and reverse, movement with the platen, and for this purpose is mounted on a table or carrier connected to the platen Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 47,227.

carriage, to move therewith on rails on the Patented Jan. to, Twit,

main frame of the machine. Urdinarily the table has been supported in part by the platen carriage, or has been so secured thereto that movement of the platen carriage independently of the table could not readily be had. It is, however, desirable that the table, or carrier, on which the carbon-sheet holder moves, be readily detachable from the platen carriage, so that when the machine is to be used for ordinary correspondence, the platen carriage may, without trouble or loss of time, be relieved of the weight of the table. It is also desirable that the table be so supported that, on being disconnected from the platen carriage, it need not be removed from the machine, but may remain in position for quick and easy re-connec tion to the platen carriage. A table, so supported, and so attachable to the platen carriage, i the principal object of the present invention.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mounting for the table, and connections, for the same to the platen carriage, such that the table with its attachments may be assembled independently of the rest of the machine; and so that the operator may quickly attach it to the machine or remove it therefrom, whenever, desirable, without the use of tools.

In a form of the invention embodying all of the foregoing advantages, the table is supported entirely independently of the platen carriage on two rails, one at the front, and the other at the rear of the table. At each of its front corners it carries a bolt adapted to be pushed forward into interlocking engagement with the platen carriage, so that, when the bolts are so set forward, the platen carriage, in its letter-feed and return movements, carries the table with it. A mere backward thrust of the bolts, however, suffices to disengage the table from the platen carriage; whereupon, without dist rbing the table on its supports, the platen carriag may be moved independently thereof. Suitable detents are provided for preventing accidental shifting of the bolts from either 'of their set positions.

Other features and advantages wilt hereinafter appear.

in the accompanying" drawing, Figure l is a perspective view of the invention applied to an Underwood typewriting machine, the parts being in position to permit writing upon a work-piece. Fig. 2 is a view in cross section through the platen, showing also the feed rolls and a type against a work-piece on the platen. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, partly cross sectional of the device by means of which the table is connected to the platen carriage. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the connecting pins shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the platen 10 is fixed on th shaft 11, which is journaled in a frame fast on a rock shaft 12, having bearings in the end plates 13 of the usual platen frame. The platen shaft is directly carried by a pair of arms 14 and 15. For printing, the swinging frame is held in Fig. 1 position. It is swung from its normal, or printing position, to its web-releasing position, as shown in the patent to 'Wernery and Smith, 1,132,055, by means of an arm or handle 16, also fast to the rock shaft 12. For locking the platen frame in printing position, the handle 16 carries a pin 17 adapted to be engaged by a hook 18 pivotally mounted on a bracket 19 on the left-hand end plate 13 of the carriage. A spring 20 engages the hook and the bracket to hold the hook in platen-locking position, and to return it to such position when free to do so. The nose of the hook is shaped at 21 to be cammed back by the pin 1.7 until the pin passes under the nose, thereby making the locking operation automatic when the frame is swung down to normal position. A tooth 22 on the hook may serve to determine the return throw and normal position of the platen, in conjunction with a pin or stop 23 on the right-hand end carriage piece 13 at the front thereof.

T o effect the line-space feed or rotation of the platen, there is provided the usual hand wheel 24 and ratchet wheel 25, both fast to a short shaft 26, mounted to rotate in the left-hand end piece 13 of the carriage. In printing position, the shaft 26 is concentric with the platen shaft 11. As is common in Underwood typewriting machine, the ratchet wheel is actuated by a pawl 27 on a slide, engaged by one arm of a bellcrank line-space lever 29 pivoted to the carriage frame. A spring returns the slide and pawl to normal position after each operation thereof. A spring detent 34 engages the ratchet wheel to hold the platen against accidental rotation. The driving connection between the shaft 26, whose axis is not changeable, and the platen shaft 11, which swings from one position to another, consists of gears 35, 36 and 37. The gear 35 is fast to the shaft 26; the gear 36 is fast to the platen shaft, and: is of the same size and number of teeth as gear 35; and the gear 37 is loose on the axle 12 around which the platen frame swings, and has a face of sufiicient width to mesh with both gears and 36, so as to drive gear 36 from gear 35.

In Patent 1,132,055, to \Vernery and Smith, above referred to, it is shown that in the operation of removing a printed length from the web, and in re-adjusting the web for printing the next length, the platen is swung from printing position to a position away from the feed rolls, so that the web no longer wraps around the platen, but may be moved freely in substantially a straight line from back to front of the machine. When the platen is in this position, the carbon sheets between the plies or folds of the section of the web to be removed, are drawn back into the length or section of web next to be printed; and, after removal of a length of the web, and re-posi-' tioning of the web, the platen is returned to its normal position against the feed rolls.

The web is preferably in a single piece, fan-folded longitudinally, to provide for several copies when carbon sheets are interleaved with the folds. It may also be in a crosswise fan-folded condition before being fed into the machine to permit of compactness and convenience in handling, or it may be fed from a roll. It is fed into the machine over a bar 38 at the rear of a table 39, having side rails 40 to which the bar 38 is secured. These rails are connected at the front of the table by a bar or tie 41. The table is further braced by a cross-bar 42, and on the bar 42 are two rollers 43 which ride on a rail 44 carried by a framework 4:1. secured to the main frame of the machine, to, support the table 39 at the rear thereof. The front bar 41 also carries two rollers 46 which ride on a rail 47, likewise carried by the framework 45, for supporting the table at the front thereof. The table has letterfeed and reverse movement with the platen carriage, and the rollers 43 and 46 serve to make such movement substantially frictionless on the supporting framework. Since the rollers are at both sides of the table, front and back, the latter is stably supported. A fifth roller 48, carried on a bracket 49, secured centrally on the front bar 41, engages the rail 47 from underneath the same, and thereby prevents lifting of the front of the table, or tilting or rocking of the table.

The table is detachably secured to the platen carriage, so that, when the machine is to be used for ordinary correspondence. the platen carriage may be relieved of the weight of the table, and also so that the table may be assembled independently of the rest of the machine and attached to the latter in assembled condition. For detachahly securing the table to the platen carriage, the end plates 13 of the latter have secured thereto, at each side of the machine, a hookarem shaped car 50. The car 56 at the left side of the machine may be integral, with the bracket 19 on which the lock 18 is mounted. Secured, as by means of screws 51, to the front end of each of the side rails 40 of the table, is a post 52, having a hole 53 for a lock pin 54 extending horizontally therethrough from back to front. The lock pin is shiftahle in the post, and is held therein by a screw 55 which is threaded through the post and projects into a spline or slot 56 in the pin. The end walls of the slot 56 determine the forward and backward throw of the lock pin. A hole 57 is drilled from the outside of the post to intersect the pin hole 53, and serves as a pocket for a ball 58, and a spring 59 which presses the ball onto the lock pin. A screw 60 holds the spring in place, and serves as a means for regulating the pressure of the spring. Two alined notches 61 and 62 in the pin receive theball, according to the position of the pin; so that the pin may be held by the ball against accidental displacement in either the position in which it locks the table to the platen carriage, or in the position in which the table is unlocked from the platen carriage. When the table is properly set with respect to the platen carriage, the pins 54 register with the hooks 50, and the pins, thereupon being pressed forward, are interlocked with the hooks, and are held, so interlocked, by the halls 58. In order that the roller 48 may not interfere with the placement and removal 'of the table, the pin or screw 63 on which it is mounted is detachable with the roller from the rail 41. To remove the table it is therefore only .necessary to remove the screw 63 with the roller 48, and push back the lock pins 54, whereupon the table may he lifted from the machine. To relieve the platen carriage of the weight of the table 39, when the machine is to be used for ordinary correspondence, it is, however, only necessary to push back the lock pins, 54. The table then remains on its support 45 ready for use whenever desired, but does not have movement with the plamn carriage. p

The web is led onto the table over the bar 38. From the bar 38 the web is led to the carbon sheet holder 64. It has been stated that the web is folded longitudinally so that several copies may be made at a time by the use of carbon sheets interleaved with the plies of the web. These carbon sheets, as above stated, are thrown back from the written portions of the web onto the length thereof next to be written, at the time the web is released and before it is cut. For permitting forward line-space feed of the carbon sheets with the web, and for withdrawing the carbon sheets from the written to the next unwritten section of the web, the holderis in the form of a carriage to which the rear ends of the carbon sheets are at tached. This carriage consists of a rectangular plate 64 having depending end flanges 65 on each of which are mounted two rollers 66 adapted to ride on inturned lateral flanges 40 on the side rails 40 of the table. The line-space feed of the web around the platen with the carbon sheets clamped by the feed rolls between the folds thereof, causes the holder 63 to be drawn forward on the rails 40 during the printing operation. For moving back the holder to re-position the car-. bon sheets on-the web when a printed section of the web is removed, there is attached to the holder at one side thereof a handle 67. For securing the rear ends of the carbon sheets to the holder, the latter carries clips or fingers 68 on stepped plates 69 on the ends of the holder. Alternate clips are secured to opposite ends of the holder, and are progressively stepped up to assure proper spacing of the web folds and movement of the carbon sheets between the same.

From the carbon holder 64 the web is led over a tie-rod 7 0 on the carriage frame, down around the platen, between the latter and .the feed rolls 71 and 72, past the cutter 73 and onto the shelf 74. The shelf 74 is secured to the swinging platen frame. The shelf carries the usual gage bar 75, with the gage piece 76 adjustable therealon-g, for measuring the lengths to be cut from the web. The carbon sheets having been moved back out of the advanced section of theweh, the latter is cut ed by being drawnagainst the cutter 73, which is mounted on a sleeve 77 loose on the shaft 12, so that it may be swung down to the web by; means of a handle 78 fast to the sleeve 77. A spring 79 yieldingly holds the cutter in normal position.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of-the invention, and portions of the improvementsmay be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a platen carriage, a .carriage for holding transfer material between the plies of a work-piece during line-space feed of the lat ter and for drawing the transfer material at intervals backward along the work-piece, atable on which the carriage for the transfer material moves, and a latch for detachably connecting the table to the platen carriage, said latch comprislng a finger on one of said connectible elements adapted to be interlocked with the other of said elements.

2. Tn a typewriting machine, aplaten, a platen carriage, a carriage for holding transfer material between the plies of a workpiece during line-space feed of the latter and for drawing the transfer mater al at intervals backward along the work-piece, a table on which the carriage for the transfer material moves, a latch for detachably connecting the table tothe platen carrlage, said latch comprising a pin on one of said connectible elements adapted to be interlocked with the other of said elements, and means for holding said pin in interlocked position against accidental displacement.

3. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a platen carriage, a carriage for holding transfer material between the plies of' a workpiece during line-space feed of the latter and for drawing the transfer material at intervals backward along the work-piece, a table on which the carriage for the transfer material moves, a latch for detachably connecting the table to the platen carriage, said 'latch comprising a pin on one of said connectible elements adapted to be interlocked with the other of said elements, and a spring-pressed ball adapted to engage a notch in said pin for holding said pin in interlocked position against accidental displacement.

4. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a frame on which the platen is supported, a table over which a work-piece may be fed to the platen, a pin carried by the table, a receiver for the pin on the platen frame, and means whereby the pin may be shifted into and out of engagement with said receiver to connect and disconnect the table and platen.

5. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a frame on which the platen is supported, a table over which a work-piece may, be fed to the platen, a pin carried by the table, a receiver for the pin on the platen frame, means whereby the pin may be shifted into and out of engagement with said receiver to connect and disconnect the table and platen, and means for holding the pin in operative position.

6. In a typewriting machine, platen carriage, a carriage for holding transfer material between the plies of a work-piece during line-space feed of the latter and for drawing the transfer material at intervals backward along the work-piece, a table on which the carriage for the trans fer material moves, a run-way on which the table may have letter-feed movement with the platen, lugs on the platen carriage, and movable detents on the table adapted at will to be engaged with or disengaged from said a platen, a

lugs, whereby the platen carriage may be moved independently of, or together with, thetable.

7. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a platen carriage, a carriage for holding transfer material between the plies of a work piece during line-space feed of the latter and for drawing the transfer material at intervals backward along the work-piece, a table on which the carriage for the transfer material moves, and a support on which the table has letter-feed movement with the platen, said support comprising two rails,

one under the fore part, and the other under the rear part, of said table.

8. In a typewritin'g machine, a platen, a platen carriage, a carriage for holding transfer material between the plies of awork-piece during line-space feed of the latter and for drawing the transfer material at intervals backward along the work-piece, a table on which the carriage for the transfer material moves, a support on which the table has letter-feed movement with the platen, said support comprising two rails, one under the fore part, and the other under the rear part, of said table, and rollers on the table which ride on said rails, said table having also a roller engaging one of said rails from below to hold the table to said support.

9. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a platen carriage, a carriage for holding transfer material between the plies of a workpiece during line-space feed of the latter and for drawing the transfer material at intervals backward along the work-piece, a table on which the carriage for the transfer material moves, a support on which the table has letter-feed movement with the platen, said support comprising two rails, one under the fore part, and the other an der the rear part, of said table, and rollers on the table which ride on said rails, said table having also a roller engaging one of said rails from below to hold the table to said support, said last-named roller being removable to permit the table to be placed e upon and removed from said support.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a paper carriage, of a worksupporting frame over which work-pieces may be advanced to the paper carriage, a track on which said frame is mounted to travel in a direction parallel with the direction of travel of the carriage, and a lock-pin and keeper mounted on said frame and carriage, said into register while the carriage 1s at any position, by moving the frame along its track to a corresponding position, thereby permitting the lock-pin to be moved into holding engagement with its keeper to thereby con- 5 nect said frame to the carriage to travel therewith.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen carriage, of a worksupporting frame mounted to travel in a di- 19g rection parallel with the direction of travel of the carriage and supported independently of the carriage, locking-pins on said frame, and keepers for said pins on the carriage, said pins and their keepers being movable into and out of register by relative travel of the carriage and said frame, said pins movable into and out of holding engagement with their keepers while in register therewith. 130

pin and keeper being brought 12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen carriage, of a worksupperting frame mounted to travel in a direction parallel with the direction of travel of the carriage and supported independently of the carriage, locking-pins on said frame, keepers for said pins on the carriage, said pins and their keepers being movable into and out of register by relative travel of the carriage and said frame said pins movable into and out of holding engagement with their keepers while in register therewith, and a carbon-sheet-supporting carriage mounted on said frame to travel toward and from the platen carriage for advancing carbon-sheets with webs fed over said frame to the platen carriage.

CHARLES DE LOS RICE.

Witnesses:

W. M. DYORKMAN, L. D. Bnonenmn.

lit 

